While parents are considered essential for the effective treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa, the most effective manner to involve parents in treatment is unknown. Given reports of high caregiver burden among parents of this clinical group, finding treatments that minimize parent burden while improving the child's eating disorder symptoms is essential.

This investigation will examine the preliminary effectiveness of a parent skills group and adolescent skills group compared to family therapy for the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. The target of this intervention is the improvement of eating disorder symptoms in the child and improving self-efficacy, emotion regulation, and perceived burden in the parent.

The effectiveness of this experimental treatment group (Group Parent Training for the parents/Adolescent Skills Training for the adolescent) will be compared to the Maudsley model of family therapy. The effectiveness of the group program will be examined by exploring changes within individuals over time as well as via comparisons across treatment conditions. Results from this investigation will be used to calculate treatment effect sizes in the design of a larger, fully powered, randomized clinical trial.

Skills group for parents that provides psychoeducation for eating disorder and skills in behavior management, self-regulation, and emotion regulation.

Active Comparator: Active Comparator

Family Therapy according to the Maudsley Model

Behavioral: Maudsley Family Therapy

Family therapy specifically adapted for the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

11 Years to 18 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

age 11-18 years old

living at home

meet criteria for anorexia nervosa or subthreshold anorexia nervosa

Exclusion Criteria:

no active psychosis

no current suicidality

medically safe for outpatient treatment

Contacts and Locations

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00672906